A HOUSEKEEPER who stole thousands of pounds from her employers avoided prison after a judge said he was taking "an exceptional" course of action. Recorder Neil Davey told Mandy Boyd she was being spared jail because she had made efforts to find another
THE scale of the health challenge facing the North-East has been highlighted by new figures that show the region has some of the worst obesity problems in England. A league table based on hospital admissions for Type 2 diabetes - often linked with obesity
HOUSEBUILDER Persimmon has reported no slowdown in the housing market by unveiling pre-tax profits of £352.5m. The figure for last year represents a 32 per cent increase on 2002. Such has been the growth in the market for new properties that the York
A CAR dealership in York is offering a bonus for customers. Polar Ford York has struck a deal with its neighbour, Courtneys at Walterworld, to offer a free day pass to the health and fitness centre. The gym, fitness suite, swimming pool, sauna and steam
Factory operative, £4.70 to £4.80ph, 40hrs pw, must have minimum six months production experience and be 18-plus. To work night shift. Ref: NEU 18200. Administration clerk, 37.5hrs pw Mon-Fri. Must have driving licence and access to car, good communication
A LETTER written on board the Titantic was bought for £13,000 at a Leyburn auction. The author was no celebrity, just a woman from a well-to-do family writing to her young nephew in Cambridge about an exciting cross-Channel trip to France. The significance
A SERIES of facts, figures and general comment over the past few days has given me cause for concern. As a homeowner, I would quite like to see the appealingly low interest rate continue for the foreseeable future. This is unlikely to remain the case
RISING young singing star Jordan Louise Roseberry hopes to hit the high notes in support of a young family friend who is suffering a life-threatening disease. The 11-year-old takes centre stage in a charity concert being staged to raise funds for the
ALMOST 200 schools across the North-East and North Yorkshire are threatened with closure because they do not have enough pupils, it was revealed last night. The Department for Education has placed 172 primary schools and 16 secondaries in the region on
A RAILWAY that came back from the brink has revealed plans to expand services less than a year after passenger trains started to run again. The team behind the Wensleydale Railway plans to re-open the whole length of the existing line later this year.
A £1M investment programme to provide passengers with up- to-the-minute journey information is being rolled out on GNER's 122 daily high speed services along the East Coast Main Line. GNER is the first train operator in Britain to equip on-train managers
Darlington's game against Chelteham has been postponed. The game, originally due to kick off Tuesday evening has been cancelled due to a frozen pitch at the George Reynolds Arena. The game has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 9. Read more about the
A SECOND bid to build new homes in the heart of a Georgian market town has run into renewed resistance from neighbours. Elevations Northern first applied to build flats behind the Ralph Fitz Randal pub off Richmond's Queen's Road last August. The project
STEVE McCLAREN has underlined his England credentials - but vowed to finish the job with Middlesbrough. The ambitious McClaren, who led Boro to their first major trophy with Sunday's Carling Cup final triumph over Bolton Wanderers at the Millennium Stadium
Store assistant, Darlington, 22.5hrs pw 8.20am to 1pm Mon-Fri, will involve cleaning out animals and heavy lifting. Must have GCSE Grade C in Maths, experience in fast retail environment preferred. Ref: DAE 37695. Food processing operative, Darlington
A NORTH-East company which received more than £100m by selling derelict houses in an elaborate investment scam has been wound up. Practical Property Portfolio used adverts, brochures and a slick sales pitch to persuade investors to part with sums of £18,000
THE SWITCH from hurdles to fences has worked wonders for Polished (4.50), fancied to complete a three-timer in the closing Classified Chase at Leicester. Richard Guest's gelding looked like a real slow coach when beaten in selling company over the smaller
MICK McCarthy is worried Sunderland's status as a Nationwide League 'scalp' could derail their Premiership ambitions. The Stadium of Light boss insists he is not suffering from a dose of paranoia after claiming every side in the First Division raises
UP to a quarter-of-a-million people are expected to descend on the region when it plays host to one of the sporting world's most glamorous events. Next year's Royal Ascot race meeting is to be held at York Racecourse while the festival's traditional Berkshire
A range of music workshops has been extended. The Tees Valley Music Service (TVMS) has launched the Secondary Schools Music Enrichment programme, which will offer pupil workshops, music recording services and visits by an ensemble of professional musicians
More than seven years after his arrest, one of the world's most notorious paedophiles has finally come to trial. Nick Morrison looks at a case which has put an entire country's legal and political system in the dock. ABOUT 6.30pm on Thursday, August 15
A NORTH-East company which received more than £100m by selling derelict houses in an elaborate investment scam has been wound up. Practical Property Portfolio used adverts, brochures and a slick sales pitch to persuade investors to part with sums of £18,000
THE best-designed offices in the North-East will compete at a new regional awards ceremony this year. The British Council for Offices (BCO) Northern awards celebrate excellence in office design and use of floorspace, and is the first BCO awards ceremony
A YOUNG father has been jailed for his part in an elaborate stolen cars scam. Judge George Moorhouse sparked protests from the public gallery at Teesside Crown Court when he jailed 23-year-old Anthony Mager for 18 months. Judge Moorhouse said he had been
A pit museum threatened with closure because of a lack of qualified miners to show visitors around has been given a reprieve. Ex-pitmen Stuart Davison, 48, and Tom Muncaster, 47, came to the rescue at County Durham's Beamish Museum after the attraction
An increase in binge drinking among women is one of the reasons why a new health post has been created in the region. Peter Carlin-Page, who is originally from South Shields, has been appointed as Sunderland's first Alcohol and Substance Misuse Coordinator
Tonight's game agains Milwall has been cancelled due to the weather. The game will be played tomorrow evening -- Wednesday. Read more about Sunderland here.
NORTH-EAST scientists have made a major breakthrough in the war on terror. Physicists at Northumbria University are working on a way to use microwaves to scan for weapons at airport security check-ins. The new method is far more effective than X-rays
MIDDLESBROUGH will be one of the clubs to play a part in the new look UEFA Cup next season, writes Paul Fraser. And, although it is yet to be confirmed, Boro's Carling Cup success at the Millennium Stadium looks to have ensured that Steve McClaren's men
Many pubs, bingo halls and amusement arcades in the North-East could close as a result of new gambling laws, a new report has warned. The changes will also lead to an increase in the number of problem gamblers, the study concludes. Gambling in the region
ALMOST 200 schools across the North-East and North Yorkshire are threatened with closure because they do not have enough pupils, it was revealed last night. The Department for Education has placed 172 primary schools and 16 secondaries in the region on
CONCERN over the plight of illegal immigrants prepared to work in appalling conditions for a chance to live in the UK is to spark an unprecedented Government crackdown. Undercover immigration officers have spent months investigating the activities of
BANKING group HSBC has become the latest bank to reveal a massive rise in pre-tax profits. The group's 37 per cent rise in profits, to £7.7bn, in 2003, took it to the top of the pile among the UK's banks, ahead of Royal Bank of Scotland's £7.15bn, Barclays
PLANS to replace the sports hall floor at Spennymoor Leisure Centre are likely to be approved this week. Members of Sedgefield Borough Council's cabinet will be asked at their meeting on Thursday to approve proposals to carry out the work. The council's
A TALENTED teenager has earned his first sporting call up for his country. Lee Maddison, 16, who has cerebral palsy, has won several honours in the sport of boccia, including a national title in Sheffield, in 2002. Boccia is similar to bowls, where wheelchair
A CONSORTIUM of village halls is helping improve the quality of life in communities in Teesdale. The Teesdale Village Halls Consortium, made up of 29 village halls in the dale, has developed a business approach to market the services it offers and make
A GROUP providing services for visually impaired people in Darlington enjoyed a civic welcome yesterday. The Crown Street Reading Group for the Visually Impaired paid a visit to the town hall to meet Darlington Mayor Councillor Ron Lewis. Coun Lewis welcomed
PUPILS from a public school are to leave their permanent mark at a tourist attraction. Five youngsters from Ampleforth College, near Helmsley, have been commissioned to design benches for the historic garden at Plumpton Rocks, near Harrogate. They will
A PRIMARY school which has made much progress in the past couple of years has received an outstanding report from Government inspectors. Golden Flatts Primary School, Hartlepool, was inspected last month, and found to be providing a good and improving
FIVE men accused of conspiring to murder gun victim Stanley Creswell pleaded not guilty to the charges against them yesterday. Father-of-four Mr Creswell, 36, of Clydesdale Terrace, Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear, survived being hit in the arm during a
A pilot project to help adult learners is to be launched next week. A CD containing contributions from local artists and musicians from around the world will be launched at the Point, at Arc, in Stockton, on Friday next week. The CD features songs and
MARK Tinkler admits Hartlepool United's home form isn't all it's cracked up to be. Pool have built up a reputation as the nation's best when it comes to performing in front of their own fans. They recently went 28 games and over year without losing at
ALTHOUGH angry pensioners in Devon led the fight last week against rising tax demands at local and national level, canny savers know it is not only pavement protests that protect hard-earned money from a Government struggling to pay its bills. There is
YOUNG people are being challenged to try a range of dance styles during a charity Dance-athon at the weekend. The event, at the Golden Lion Hotel, Northallerton, on Saturday, is a ten-hour mara-thon with dancing lessons in the afternoon and a disco in
VICTIMS of disgraced surgeon Richard Neale have reacted angrily to news that the inquiry report has been delayed again. Officials running the inquiry into the former Northallerton gynaecologist had hoped to hand over the completed report before the end
TWO books depicting the history of one of the region's youngest communities have been launched. The village of Delves Lane, near Consett, was founded in 1921, when the miners' cottages were first built for workers at the nearby Victory Pit. Villager Tony
THE search is on to find former members of a company of entertainers who enthralled theatre audiences across the North-East with variety shows 50 years ago. The Merry Magpies, named after the Newcastle football team, were a group of almost 50 actors,
Guisborough's Prior Pursglove College is open on Monday, from 6pm to 7.30pm, for prospective students to visit the sixth form and find out about opportunities open to them. To attend, call (01287) 280800. ANNUAL MEETING: The annual meeting of the Redcar
A COUNCIL has landed a £670,000 windfall from the Government for being one of the leading authorities in the country for recycling rubbish. Ryedale District Council has been given the money under the National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Challenge
WHENEVER you hear about the work of Acas, the arbitration and conciliation service for businesses and their employees, it is usually because of its work to help end a strike, or because of a big tribunal case, where an employee has won thousands of pounds
A CHARITY that funded the first artificial heart in Britain has enlisted a Teesside marketing agency to give it a national profile. The National Heart Research Fund has strong support in parts of the UK, including Newcastle, but wants to get more supporters
CLARE Short says that she is "embarking on a journey of my conscience." Anyone who talks that sort of New Agey drivel ought to be told to go away, wash her mouth out and grow up. She further claims to be writing a book in which she will describe in detail
ADMINISTRATORS last night turned down a bid from Third Division rivals Swansea for Darlington striker Barry Conlon. Following a meeting with manager David Hodgson yesterday, Wilson Field - who took over the running of the cash-strapped club in December
LIFE is about to get difficult for motoring cheats who dodge out of paying their road tax. Police in North Yorkshire are joining forces with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for a major regional blitz. Motorists from across the county who fail
THE weekend snow failed to stop a club's first junior rugby training session. Many keen youngsters turned up at Thirsk Athletic Club on Sunday, some to play rugby for the first time. For many parents it was also a first. Others were rediscovering rugby
EIGHT stones and full of life, Joshua begins his dance routine. As the Harlem Shuffle pounds out of the music system, he walks to the beat, turning tightly before backing through his partner's legs. It's a slick performance, but not too unusual until
CONCERN over the plight of illegal immigrants prepared to work in appalling conditions for a chance to live in the UK is to spark an unprecedented Government crackdown. Undercover immigration officers have spent months investigating the activities of
ELECTRIC Six have been signed up for a town's free music festival. Notoriously tempestuous, the musicians, from Detroit, US, will top the bill on the 96.6tfm stage for the climax of the Middlesbrough Music Live May bank holiday festival, which last year
SOME of the region's IT companies are lining up to support one of the North-East's biggest summer business events. IT Works 2004, the region's largest IT exhibition, held at St James's Park, Newcastle, on June 10 and 11, is attracting sponsorship and
MIDDLESBROUGH'S historic Carling Cup success has gone a long way to convincing Bolo Zenden his future is on Teesside. The Dutchman is on loan from Chelsea until the end of the season and he grabbed the crucial second goal in Boro's memorable victory over
One of Darlington's best-known designer stores opens under new ownership this week. Women's Editor Christen Pears reports. IT can be a daunting experience walking into a designer shop for the first time - the bright lights, the price labels, the thought
STEVE Gibson might have achieved a lifetime ambition by bringing the Carling Cup to Middlesbrough, but his next battle could prove even harder to win. The Boro chairman was in reflective mood as the dust settled at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium following
HOWEVER curious, quirky or cumbersome its name, the Age Kitchen and Bar - Grade II listed building, Claypath, Durham - may on no account be said to resuscitate the old, old story. It's innovative, imaginative and not particularly expensive, but into what
THE weekend's football-induced hangover is finally wearing off, and it's business as usual for finance. When it's good, it's very good. When it's bad, it's very bad. Like football, there are no half-measures with the stock market these days. Results announced
For more than 30 years, employees claiming unfair dismissal have been unable to recover damages for injury to their feelings. However, in a landmark decision, the Court of Appeal has now decided that an award of compensation for unfair dismissal need
A DINGY former guesthouse jostling for space among a row of impressive Victorian villas is hardly the place to start a new life in a foreign country. It is a shabby building, with communal bathrooms and kitchen, and a dated decor that is a far cry from
SIR Bobby Robson is facing a defensive headache ahead of tomorrow's UEFA Cup third round second-leg tie at home to Valerenga. With Olivier Bernard banned and Andy Griffin injured Robson may be forced into utilising Andy O'Brien as an emergency right back
A lawless 15-year-old yob who terrorised his home town was finally locked up amid scenes of mayhem in a courtroom. James Brennan, a 5ft drunken thug who became known as The Munchkin, has finally been given a custodial sentence after flouting Antisocial
SUCCESS in the Carling Cup final could drive the business end of Middlesbrough Football Club (MFC) to a £20m windfall, an analyst has predicted. Vinay Bedi, a football expert at North-East stockbroker Wise Speke, predicted the balance sheets of the Teesside
THE way we access our homes, offices, leisure facilities, computers and even cars is changing beyond recognition. The use of keys for access to buildings, or to start cars and other vehicles, could soon be a thing of the past, if a partnership between
At the tender age of 26, Gemma Crangel has turned her passion for French wine into a business, and is hosting her first lunch later this month. She talks to Sarah Foster. GEMMA Crangle is a girl who likes her wine. And why not? Many people do. But while
JUNINHO maintains Middlesbrough will have nothing to fear in Europe if they keep their Carling Cup-winning squad together. The Brazilian, who returned for a third spell with Boro in a bid to lift the major honour which eluded him twice over first time
SIR Bobby Robson is facing a defensive headache ahead of tomorrow's UEFA Cup third round second-leg tie at home to Valerenga. With Olivier Bernard banned and Andy Griffin injured Robson may be forced into utilising Andy O'Brien as an emergency right back
RODGERS and Hammerstein's classic musical Carousel is coming to the region later this month. Sam Kane heads the cast at Darlington Civic Theatre as loveable rogue Billy Bigelow, who falls in love with Julie Jordan at the Caroursel ride, but their happiness
THE declining number of schoolchildren presents a huge challenge for education officials, teachers and parents. The disclosure that almost 200 schools in the North-East and North Yorkshire are threatened with closure underlines just how big that challenge
A PROPERTY developer is poised to start work on another apartments complex on Newcastle quayside, after its last development on the River Tyne sold out. The City Lofts Group said it had completed the sale of 88 flats and car parking at St Ann's Quay,
BBC: PERHAPS I am "the correspondent" referred to by John Young (HAS, Feb 24). If so, he does me less than justice. Far from addressing the queries in my previous letter, he chooses instead to cloud the argument by recycling a few myths popular with the
THE creation of a business park that will bring 1,500 jobs to Darlington is on target, say developers. The foundations for the first two buildings on the Morton Palms Business Park, next to the A66 in Darlington, have been completed. Contractor Metnor
ONE elderly drinker has warned that if the village pub closes, he might as well give up and die. Many others share the sentiment, albeit in not so drastic terms, as they dread the final last orders of The Countryman Inn, which could be called in a matter
HOWEVER curious, quirky or cumbersome its name, the Age Kitchen and Bar - Grade II listed building, Claypath, Durham - may on no account be said to resuscitate the old, old story. It's innovative, imaginative and not particularly expensive, but into what
The 76th Academy Awards (BBC1):THE party was still going on yesterday morning, but Oscar fatigue had kicked in with both presenters and viewers. Both Jules Botfield on BBC1's Breakfast Time and Jackie Brambles on GMTV were reduced to standing outside
STEVE McCLAREN has underlined his England credentials - but vowed to finish the job with Middlesbrough. The ambitious McClaren, who led Boro to their first major trophy with Sunday's Carling Cup final triumph over Bolton Wanderers at the Millennium Stadium
THE region's new early stage technology finance company, NStar, has made its first award under its Proof of Concept Fund, only a month after the fund was launched. NStar's PCF fund is investing £60,000 in the development of a 3D e-learning authoring tool
AN appeal for a missing North-East takeaway shop owner to return home has drawn a blank. Detectives are growing increasingly worried by the disappearance of Barry Wong last Tuesday. Mr Wong, who owns the Chang Cun Low restaurant in South Moor, Stanley
PROPERTY group Hammerson is seeking a dual listing on the French stock exchange in an attempt to take advantage of tax exemption laws. The group's French division, which accounts for 30 per cent of business, would become largely exempt from tax on income
A CONSORTIUM of businessmen planning a takeover of Darlington Football Club revealed for the first time last night that its bid may be in jeopardy. The locally-based group, backed by Darlington Supporters' Trust, had named yesterday as its deadline for
YOUNGSTERS from across the North-East have performed alongside the cast of an opera company. Children from the Stagecoach Theatre Arts schools in Hartlepool, Darlington and Acklam, in Middlesbrough, appeared in Puccini's operas Tosca and Turandot with
THEY have done more than most to create the character of the region, designing memorable buildings, forging landscapes and shaping lifestyles. But architects have also been responsible for some terrible creations, ugly office blocks, insensitive conversions
Office manager, Hutton Sessay. 40 hours per week, 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Must have experience in similar role, be computer literate, knowledge of Sage 50 an advantage. Ref: NOE 21362. Administrative assistant, North-allerton. £7,407 to £8,257 per
MORE details about the jobs below are available from Jobseeker Direct on (0845) 606 0234. Care assistant. £4.50 per hour, 20 hours per week over four days between 8am and 9.30pm Monday to Sunday. Must be 18-plus with caring nature, experience desirable
A COUPLE'S dreams of transforming a redundant quarry into a nature reserve and education centre are starting to flourish. When Tom Mercer, 40, and Jill Essam, 41, bought Harehope Quarry, Frosterley, Weardale, County Durham, they had a vision of creating
SINGING star Sting is in for a busy double date on his return to his native North-East later this year. The multi-millionaire rock star, the son of a Wallsend milkman, is playing to a sell-out audience at Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena on Friday, May 7
FOUR people were taken to hospital by air ambulance after a head-on collision between two cars on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland yesterday. A Ford Mondeo and a Vauxhall Astra were in collision in Sloshes Lane, between Witton Castle and Witton Park,
THREE more shop windows have been smashed in a town centre where two closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras were put up a fortnight ago to help reduce vandalism. The large sections of plate glass were wrecked at the weekend while late night drinkers
VILLAGERS have been sickened by vandals who have been causing damage to their church and even defecated on the roof. People living in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, are at the end of their tether as, night after night, they face acts of vandalism from
PARENTS and carers of disabled young people are being invited to help shape the future of services through the Darlington's Children's Trust. Darlington was chosen as one of 35 local authorities in the UK to pilot a Children's Trust, which aim to bring
ONE of the region's cultural programmes - culture10 - will receive a boost today. The Northern Rock Foundation is investing £2m in the venture as part of a campaign to raise culture10's £140m target. The culture10 programme has already attracted £51m
MANUFACTURING in the North-East is in crisis because the region is haemorrhaging jobs abroad, according to a union leader. Kevin Curran, general secretary of the GMB, said the latest job loss figures were a worrying sign for an industry that had looked
TWO security guards sacked for working longer than their agreed hours have won an employment tribunal case. Bill Kerr, 58, and Peter Kneeshaw, 46, worked for Chubb providing security at Cummins, in Darlington. They were sacked after Chubb's acting area
A DISABLED pensioner says she is trapped in her council flat because she cannot get her wheelchair out of the building. Winifred Buckton, 79, of Rise Carr, Darlington, says she is housebound because there are steep steps but no ramps at the front and
THE judges have been named for a short story competition launched in the North-East at the start of the year. Organised by Inscribe Med-ia Ltd, based in Darlington, and backed by The Northern Echo, telecommunications company Orange and Darlington Arts
FORMER boxing champion Glenn McCrory returned to north Durham yesterday to launch a series of events aimed at raising the aspirations of everyday people. The campaign, called We're Celebrating Your Success in Derwentside, focuses on 26 individuals, whose
DURHAM City Council is to levy a seven per cent increase in its share of the council tax. The full council is due to confirm the inflation-busting rise tonight, which was agreed last week by its cabinet. The cost of city council services to Band A council
PRIMARY schools and youth groups in Stockton are being urged to take part in a recycling competition. The Bin to Win competition, run through the www.recycle-more. co.uk website, offers primary schools and youth groups, aged 11 and under, the chance to
A MAN with ten previous convictions for violence has been jailed for a year after threatening to kill a man he argued with in a pub. After the row, Ian Evans picked up a pool ball and followed his victim to the toilet, but was stopped by the landlady
A MAN with ten previous convictions for violence has been jailed for a year after threatening to kill a man he argued with in a pub. After the row, Ian Evans picked up a pool ball and followed his victim to the toilet, but was stopped by the landlady
MORE than 400 new jobs have been created with the opening of a new supermarket in a North-East town. The Mayor of Hartlepool, Stuart Drummond joined Morrison's chairman, Sir Kenneth Morrison, to perform the opening ceremony at the store in Clarence Road
A scheme to help teenagers leaving care adjust to life in the outside world has been launched in North Yorkshire. Social services staff say many youngsters leave care before they are ready and that they struggle to cope with cooking for themselves and
FIVE men accused of conspiring to murder gun victim Stanley Creswell pleaded not guilty to the charges against them yesterday. Father-of-four Mr Creswell, 36, of Clydesdale Terrace, Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear, survived being hit in the arm during a
ONE of the most memorable moments in football could provide the inspiration for a statue to commemorate a North-East sporting legend. Bob Stokoe will be forever remembered leaping across the Wembley Stadium pitch in his trademark trilby hat, after his
A LANDMARK anniversary for a family-run micro brewery will be celebrated by real ale enthusiasts at a city pub. Husband and wife Steve and Christine Gibb gave up their music teaching jobs to open the Durham Brewery in 1994. Ten years on and the Gibbs'
TWO entrepreneurs have warned hundreds of jobs risk being lost overseas because they cannot get backing and build a factory on Teesside. Alan Spencer and Shaun Wainford believe they have solved a problem in the decorating industry that could save tile-fitters
CASH raised at a disco is being used to buy equipment for a severely disabled three-year-old boy. A total of £500 has been donated to Joshua Peacock, from Northallerton, who has a form of cerebral palsy and needs 24-hour care. The money was raised at
ON the coffee table of Joe Docherty's office is a 21st Century version of Kerplunk, the classic 1970s game of sticks and marbles. Doubters could be forgiven for thinking the high-flying Scotsman has lost his marbles for taking on a 21st Century version
STUDENTS from across the UK and Europe will be taking a spring break by the Yorkshire seaside and making a dramatic occasion of it. Scarborough will play host to the National Student Drama Festival from March 31 to April 7. The event, under artistic director
A PACKAGING business has been put up for sale following industrial action and a fire at one of its sites. Management at the Reed Print Group have put the Reed Packaging business up for sale, putting the livelihoods of more than 100 staff under threat.
NEWCASTLE United's number two goalkeeper Steve Harper last night admitted he is in turmoil over whether to stick it out as Shay Given's deputy or leave Tyneside in the search for first-team football. Harper has started only two games this term, the 2-
A SEVEN-PIECE best-selling folk act is to play in the region next month. Whapweasel is playing at the Witham Hall, Barnard Castle, County Durham, on Saturday, March 13. The band, which is frequently joined by Steeleye Span's Rick Kemp, play a blend of
COUNCIL tax payers in the Hambleton area face a 9.7 per cent rise in their bill for local services this year. The district council has confirmed that its tax will rise by an average of £6. Although the percentage figure is high, the actual cash increase
A VILLAGE school with only 40 pupils has become North Yorkshire's newest centre of excellence -in information and communication technology (ICT). An ICT suite has been opened at St Nicholas Primary School, at West Tanfield. The building also houses an
MORTGAGE lending remained strong in January, with advances reaching the second highest figure on record. A total of £25bn was lent during the month, only slightly down on the record £25.69bn set in November last year, according to the Bank of England.
A LOVING brother's sponsored walk to raise funds for his terminally ill sister - and others like her - may be doomed by red tape. As highlighted by The Northern Echo last week, 20-year-old Parkinson's disease sufferer Kate Burns must undergo an operation
HANNAH HURLEY is using the skills she learnt as a circus performer in her new role in the NHS. In her time she has swung from the bizarre to the conventional, learning all the time, and retaining a variety of skills that she is grateful for today. The
First silverware for 128 years? It wasn't because Boro had won second prize in a beauty contest that the town band turned out to play Hail the Conquering Hero Comes on the wet night of April 27 1895. They'd just won the Amateur Cup. Founder members of
THE families of North soldiers killed in Iraq do not plan to sue the Ministry of Defence for corporate manslaughter, it was revealed last night. John Hyde said news that relatives of the six military police officers killed by an Iraqi mob planned to take
